Sierra Leone and Liberia to be linked by road

Wednesday, 21 May 2014 09:06

The rehabilitation of highways and key bridges is part of the road project. (Image souce: Jef Attaway/Flickr) The European Union (EU) has approved a US$146mn package to construct a 100km paved road connecting Liberia and Sierra Leone

Peter Versteeg, head of delegation of EU in Sierra Leone, said, ”The European Commission in Brussels has signed the main financing agreement for the Bandajuma-Liberian border road, linking Sierra Leone to Liberia.

”This programme aims to support the rehabilitation of 100km of highway and key bridges. The new project, which will soon be send to tender, aims to boost West African activities, reintegration and trade between Sierra Leone and Liberia.”

The poor gravel road will be upgraded to an all-weather paved road from the section of Zimmi to the Liberian border. Bridges along the road, including a hand-pulled ferry with a two-lane bridge, will be replaced too, said EU officials.

The road is expected to increase sub-regional economic activity and connectivity in west Africa, and reduce operating costs, travel time and accidents as well.

Over the past five years, Sierre Leone has rapidly progressed under the patronage of president Ernest Ba Koroma. The EU believes that Sierra Leone’s growing economy could benefit from further integration of the west African economies and from the gradual liberalisation of trade under the proposed Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).